The forklift is a mobile machinery which uses 2 prongs or forks to carry and place cargo into positions which would be usually hard to reach. Typically, lift trucks fall into 2 main categories: industrial and rough-terrain.
Most often, industrial lift trucks are utilized around truck loading docks and train loading docks along with in warehouse operations. These equipment have smaller tires that are engineered to run on smooth surfaces. Typically, industrial lift trucks are powered by an internal gasoline engine running on diesel fuel or propane.
There are some smaller industrial forklift units which use an electric motor running off an internal battery. As the name implies, rough terrain lift trucks are engineered to run on rough and unpaved surfaces. Normally, they are the ideal alternative for construction and military applications. Rough terrain lift trucks generally have big pneumatic tires that are usually powered by internal industrial engines which run on propane, diesel or propane fuel. These lift truck units can have a telescoping boom, capable of lifting loads up and out from the base of the machine or they can use a vertical tower, which is responsible for lifting loads straight up.
During the year 1946, the rough terrain lift truck emerged as a 2 pronged lift attachment was placed on a tractor chassis or a power buggy. This first machinery was used around construction locations and could lift to a height of 76 cm or 30 inches and had a lifting capacity can carry 1000 pounds or 454 kg. Vertical tower forklifts were quickly developed for industrial application and rough terrain lift trucks became famous too. By the time the 1950s came around, there were available models that can lift up to heights of 30 feet or 9 meters and had lift capacities of 1135 kg or 2500 pounds.
During 1958, the original 4-wheel drive rough terrain lift truck was introduced with a capacity of 2724 kg or 6000 lbs. and had a lift height of 7 meters or 22.5 feet or 1362 kg or 3000 lbs. and 35 feet or 11 meters. The very first telescoping boom rough terrain forklift emerged on the market during the year 1962. This model enabled loads to be positioned out from the machine's base both above and below grade.